Illuminated numeral sign



April 13, 1954 F. sHElNBART ILLUMINATED NUMERAL SIGN @Filed March 9,1949 JNVENTOR. n SHEANBART HARRY F.

Fm. A ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 13,1954

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates, as indicated, to illuminated numeral signs.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a sign of the characterdescribed, which is neat and attractive in appearance, and which can bemanufactured in commercially desirable quantities at low cost, and fromreadily available materials.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sign of the characterdescribed, which consists of a minimum number of easily assembled parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sign of the characterdescribed, which is readily adapted for installation in and aroundentrance doorways, with a minimum expenditure of effort and time, andwithout the necessity of drilling holes in or otherwise marring ordefacing the residence or other structure on which the Sign is to beused.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a sign of thecharacter described, in which the numerals are interchangeable, andwhich, as a whole, is rust and corrosion proof, is fireproof, and can beeasily cleaned.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe same,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an illuminated numeral signembodying the principal features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the sign, with portions thereof removed tomore clearly show the construction;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 4 4 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 2, but showing a modification of theinvention, and

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive of the drawings,the illuminated numeral sign will be seen to comprise a housing,generally indicated by reference numeral I, made in a single piece froman opaque plastic, and consisting of a top 2, ends 3 and 4, back 5 andfront 6, the intersecting edges of these component parts of the housingbeing smoothly rounded at their exterior surfaces, as at 'I.

The front 6 of the housing is provided with spaced openings 3, ofgenerally rectangular form, through which the numerals 3 forming thehouse number may be easily seen. These numerals may either be painted onrectangular plates IB of a translucent plastic, or may be formedintegrally with the plates or may be embedded in the plates. 1n anyevent, the plates, by preference, will be of a light color or white,andthe numerals, of a dark color in sharp contrast to the plate, andopaque, a solid black being most desirable.

The openings 8 will preferably be deiined at the corners withgusset-like portions I I, so as to permit the width of the ribs I2between the openings 8 to be reduced as'much as possibleto providegreater visibility, while retaining adequate strength for the front ofthe housing.

The front 5, in the molding process, will desirably be molded to providevertically-extending recesses or grooves I3, which are closed at theirupper ends by the top 2, but left open at their lower ends, to permitinsertion of the plates I0 into the recesses by a sliding movement.

After all of the numerals constituting the house number have been thusinserted, they are retained in position by means of a closure plate I4.The housing, in the molding process, is desirably molded to providelongitudinally-extending recesses or grooves I5, which are closed at oneend by the end 3, Fig. 4, but left open at their opposite ends to permitinsertion of the closure plate I4 by a sliding movement. The end 3 isalso provided with a recess or groove I5 (Fig. 3), which is coplanarwith the grooves I5 and receives the end of the plate I4.

The plate I4 thus serves not only to retain the plates I0, but alsoas abottom for the housing.

The closure plate I4 may either be made of an opague plastic, such asthat from which the housing is molded, or of a translucent ortransparent plastic, so as to permit light rays to shine therethroughand illuminate the front steps or entrance areaway of the home.

The top 2 of the housing is provided with a central opening I6 (Fig. 3)for the flange Il of a porcelain retainer member I8, which is threadedlysecured to a metallic bulb socket I9 which depends from a porcelain cap20. The cap 2t! carries a short length 2I of electric wiring cord towhich a plug 22 is attached. The cap 20 serves also to clamp to theupper surface of the top 2 of the housing the base flange 23 of anadaptor 24, which may be attached to a portion of the lamp housing whichis usually suspended over the entrance doorway of a residence, or at theside of the entrance doorway. The plug 22 is utilized for attachment tothe lamp socket of said lamp housing, and the socket i9 is adapted toreceive a lamp bulb for illuminating the sign numbers.

If desired, the adaptor may be mounted on the back 5 of the housing,instead of on the top, as when the sign is to be mounted on a fixturewhich projects directly from a Vertical wall surface. Inthe latterevent, the adaptor 24 may, in some instances, be dispensed with, and thecap 29 disposed in the wall opening, after removal of the xture. It willalso be desirable, in the latter case, to provide the back 5 with spacedopenings for screws, whereby the sign may be attached directly to avertical wall surface.

In Figs. 5 and 6, I have shown a modification of the invention, in whichthe housing is molded to provide inwardly extending ribs 2l at all fourcorners thereof, which ribs extend the full height of the housing. Theseribs have threaded openings 25 in their lower ends, for the reception ofscrews 26 which serve to secure a bottom closure plate I4 to thehousing. This plate functions in the same manner as the plate I4, thatis to say, it not only retains the plates I9 in position, but also actsas a bottom for the housing.

It is understood that the forms of my invention, herewith shown anddescribed, are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An illuminated numeral sign of the character described, comprising ahousing consisting of a top, front wall, back and ends, said front wallhaving spaced openings, said front Wall being also provided withvertically extending grooves adacent said openings, numeral bearingplates slidably received in said grooves through the bottoms of saidgrooves, said plates being visible through said openings, said numeralbearing plates being slidable by gravity from said grooves, iiunsupported, and a closure plate removably secured to said housing andconstituting a bottom for said housing, said closure plate retainingsaid numeral bearing plates in said grooves and against possibility ofsliding out of said grooves, said closure plate being slidablerelatively to said housing and being removable endwise from the housing.

2. A Sign, as defined in claim 1, in which said front wall, back and oneend wall are provided with grooves for receiving said closure plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 933,946 Stafford Feb. 14, 1911 997,960 Briggs July 15, 19111,5044328 De Beamer Aug. 5, 1924 1,568,630 Shearer Jan. 5, 19261,866,135 Spiel July 5, 1932 1,898,463 Nulsen Feb. 21, 1933 2,976,081Gottlieb Apr. 6, 1937 2,099,446 Lockert Nov. 16, 1937 2,137,106 BaldaufNov. 15, 1938 2,319,621 McLaughlin' May 18, 1943

